The very smart, very serious Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, has an op-ed in the Washington Post called “If Republicans Keep Ignoring Abortion, They’ll Lose in the Midterm Elections.” She writes:
Republicans oppose President Obama’s health-care reform effort for many reasons: It will cost too much, it’s “socialist,” it’s big government at its worst. But they are letting Stupak and his fellow antiabortion Democrats lead on that issue. And the more the GOP ignores abortion and focuses on economic populism—taking up the “tea party” cause—the more the party risks leaving crucial votes behind in November.
That’s right—and yet, it isn’t. There are genuine reasons for pro-lifers to resist any move toward a nationalized health-care system. The iniquitous distribution of American healthcare is a scandal, but even the incomplete moves of the current plan create a system that no future bureaucracy or Congress will be able to resist using for purposes of social engineering. And, given the condition of social-elite opinion today, that will always mean increased government-sponsored abortion and euthanasia.
For that matter, Marjorie is exactly right that a Republican attempt to ignore the social issues—a deliberate effort to marginalize the pro-life vote—will leave the evangelical and serious Catholic voters uninspired.
But the argument can go too far. Partly, of course, it does so when it downplays the fact that the Democratic Bart Stupak has been heroic in his insistence on the importance of abortion. This was someone, after all, who had always favored healthcare reform—he was always going to vote for the Democratic program, since it was something that he desired. But he nonetheless held firm on abortion, even when what seemed like every editorial page in the nation was against him, and even while prominent self-proclaimed pro-lifers in the Senate, from Reid to Casey, were giving him cover.
But the argument can go too far, as well, if it suggests that Republicans are the natural pro-life party, and Democrats the natural pro-abortion party. All of American politics has been corrupted by this murderous procedure, and, at present, the party platforms are clear enough. But pro-life forces should not want an America in which the great pro-life message is shoved off into one party. We shouldn’t want an America that squanders its religious exceptionalism by having a political party of believers and a political party of non-believers—a European-style division between the Christian Democrats and the Socialists.
This is everyone’s issue, we must believe, and when Democrats such as Bart Stupak arrive, they ought to be celebrated.
Besides, pro-lifers have greater leverage within the Republican party when the Democrats offer an alternative. Want to encourage Republican leaders toward greater accommodation of the pro-life movement in the next election? Praise Bart Stupak now.
March 12th, 2010 | 7:18 pm
Spot on. I could not agree more.
March 13th, 2010 | 11:27 am
What about CAO?
The problem is Obama has practically sucked th air out of the room with the Health Care Bill that goes on forever. Also this is a two way street. The Pro-life community creates the buzz in many ways that the individual GOP folks can work off of. I suspect a lot of pro-life ads and grassroots has beeing occuring in Democrat districts not GOP districts since those are safe bets. Why waste money there. So again it is a two way street here
March 13th, 2010 | 12:02 pm
If Stupak opposed the concept of government healthcare in toto, I would be more inclined to praise him. There is so much more about Obamacare that undermines the sanctity of life than just its abortion provisions.
March 13th, 2010 | 3:27 pm
I had written a couple of days ago on my own site that Stupak would cave – like Nelson in the Senate – if given the right “incentives.” I am glad to be wrong. Now it seems that his own party will try to maneuver around him – as well as the GOP.
I continue to pray that the GOP adds this issue to the growing conservative awakening within the party. I also pray that those who are called to stay in the Democrat party and are still pro-life may be given the strength to continue the fight from within.
March 13th, 2010 | 5:18 pm
Just curious: why is it that when the Right talks about being pro-life it’s really just about being against abortion? I oppose abortion, but also believe in Matthew 25 and the parable of the Sheep and the Goats. Why should our faith being limited to protecting life only before birth? This is the reason why the Republicans have lost control of government, and why they really don’t have a strategy other than protect the tax cuts for the rich and give lip service to being “pro life.”
March 13th, 2010 | 5:58 pm
[...] Democrats Against Abortion » First Thoughts | A First Things Blog Democrats Against Abortion » First Thoughts | A First Things Blog. [...]
March 13th, 2010 | 6:16 pm
[...] Praise Bart Stupak Now! Democrats Against Abortion » First Thoughts | A First Things Blog. [...]
March 14th, 2010 | 12:05 pm
Clearly Fox news has shown light on Bart Stupak
& therefore praise. Allthough mainstream media including Washington Post noted above has tried to marginalize and even demonize Stupak 12 Group. To have 10% unbiased coverage of real news without constant propaganda extolling virtue of Democrats and liberal domination of their programming is not fair and balanced. However those who who are not predjudiced by liberal agenda watch Fox news and have heard all along the truth about Bart Stupak and his group. Fox does not need to do puff pieces on Stupak because its viewership gets real news and “we are not drones & think for ourselves even if we are not educated “. We know the propaganda press very well. I praise Bart Stupak and his group and many Fox viewers actually prey for his steadfast opposistion and not selling out like most of the mainstream media except a few token articles. As far as Economic concerns over Social, well we conservatives know the economic destruction created by liberal policies and this administration are more serious at this time. Abortion is real simple and conservatives are united and Republicans will be the party to appoint Supreme Court Justices like Roberts, Alito who are conservative and Pro Life. Democrats will continue to oppose pro life appointments. Our base in Republican party has won this and “we the thinking people” will win back majority in 2010 and pro life will be with us because unlike Democratic leadership it is core belief and not just talking points for the Socialist commited & drones following mainstrean media.
March 14th, 2010 | 3:54 pm
I think that is exactly what Marjorie is doing. She is encouraging BOTH Democrats and Republicans to come together against abortion, not saying that Dems are stealing away the issue from Republicans.
She loves what Stupak is doing; she just wants Republicans to highlight the issue as well.
And the RNC should be doing everything to ensure that Hispanics know the pro-death agenda of Democratic leadership.
March 14th, 2010 | 11:28 pm
Why should our faith being limited to protecting life only before birth
As a member of the largest pro-life organization in the world – the Catholic Church – let me invite your support for thousands of schools, hospitals, family services, and other social services, offered freely to all comers, Catholic or not. Let me commend to you the AIDS services offered by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York. At one time (perhaps still, I don’t know), the Archdiocese was the largest provider of such services. Part of the devastation in Haiti was the damage to the Catholic infrastructure, which was the largest provider of social services in the country.
Please, support all of these activities, but don’t prattle on about how pro-lifers care only about abortion. That’s just not true!
March 15th, 2010 | 12:13 pm
I agree with danderson. Being pro-life for republicans means limiting access to abortion, oftentimes with laws that treat women as unable to make appropriate choices…i.e. mandatory sonograms, waiting periods, counseling. Where is the support for existing children? for at-risk families living in poverty? The recent campaign (not republican, but evangelical) targeting southern black women to ‘educate’ them on the true aims of Planned Parenthood as genocide is a perfect example of pro-life disregard for exsiting lives. This demographic; poor southern black women, has a sky-high rate of unwanted pregnancies, and subsequently high rates of abortion. Why would stopping abortion be the answer here? It’s like ending hunger-pangs, not hunger.
I think the abortion-issue is an oversimplified battle-cry for both sides. And once you demonize the opposition, true conversation and compromise is impossible. I have the least sympathy for die-hard pro-lifers who would block health reform over this one issue. Lives are at stake here, those of the born and alive on this earth suffering from lack of health care.
March 15th, 2010 | 5:29 pm
[...] Joseph Bottum, First Things: Dems against abortion [...]
March 16th, 2010 | 12:57 am
Before the takeover of the democratic party by ornery goons, the largest caucus was the pro-lifers. Some of the Stupak 12 come from that era. They would never get past the primaries today, and is why Stupak, etc. won’t run for higher offices even though they are some of the best lawmakers in America–their own party would never support them. One of the last flickers was when the Minnesota delegation to the Democratic National Convention in 1992(?) was fighting so much over abortion, they delayed their votes on the floor and many of them cast their votes for Bob Casey because he was censored over abortion.
March 24th, 2010 | 9:16 pm
[...] then. And as I have said before, I want there to be a viable Democratic pro-life contingent, not just to keep Republicans honest, but because I’m intrigued by new ways of thinking about the political order and its [...]
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